I am out of office today until Friday, so this week’s weekly announcements will be shorter than normal. However, I did want to get you our schedule for the next few weeks and remind you of a few big items coming up. For more information that is happening throughout the county and across the state, please check out our Newsletter for February attached in this email.

First, I would like to remind everyone that we have a workday scheduled for this Saturday, February 10th at 10:00AM at Frying Pan Farm Park. This is to clean out the old storage shed and move items to the 4-H barn in preparation for the arrival of our new storage shed! It will not take long if everyone shows up to help, so please make every effort to come help your 4-H Program! The weather is calling for light cloudy with periods of rain and a low of 38, so please make sure to bring a warm jacket, hat and gloves.

Next, I would like to remind everyone that we will be holding our County Contest Day on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Government Center with registration between 9:00AM – 9:30PM. This year’s competitions will be:

Style Review

Public Speaking

Presentation

Extemporaneous Speaking

I will get the registration forms out later this week, so please be looking for an additional email with the registration forms. This is a great opportunity for members to come and practice their public speaking skills, practice a presentation and receive feedback and prepare for District and State Competitions! District Contest is Saturday, April 7, 2018 and I would love to have some Fairfax County members go. If we get enough interest in the District Contest, I will rent a van and haul members over to Front Royal for the event. In addition, State Congress is Monday, June 25 – Thursday, June 28, 2018. The same goes for State Congress as well, if we get enough interest from Fairfax County, I will rent a van or we can work with neighboring counties to get a bus and take members down for the week. State Congress is a lot of fun, a great opportunity to see Virginia Tech’s campus, meet 4-H members from across the State, learn more about the 4-H Program and attend fun, educational workshops to further the member’s knowledge in projects of interest, as well as compete with members across the state to showcase their knowledge and skills.

Finally, here is the schedule for the next couple of weeks:

Tuesday, February 6 – Friday, February 9 ~ Krystal will be out of office at Winter Conference

Do not forget to send your entries for the 2018 Virginia Tech Block and Bridle Hippology and the Horse Judging Contests. They need to be postmarked no later than this Thursday, February 1, 2018. Leona wants to emphasize that any entries received after this date will not be accepted and will not be allowed to compete. If you need help getting your registrations complete, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help complete registrations and mail them out for you!

Please remember that if you are interest in attending the National Youth Summit for Health Living, the deadline to register is Friday, February 2. If you are interested in attending, there are some grant funding to support your attendance. The National Youth Summit on Healthy Living will bring together teens and adults from all over the nation who are interested in healthy living leadership development and have a passion for helping others. Scheduled for February 16 – 19, 2017 at the national 4-H youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, MD, audiences will include both 4-H and non 4-H youth and adults. This action packed summit will provide learning opportunities for program participants including workshops, a program showcase, career panel discussion, keynote speakers, and service projects.

For all our wonderful volunteers, please mark your calendars for the 2018 Spring Leaders Conference that is hosted by the Virginia Association of Adult 4-H Volunteer Leaders, Northern District. This awesome conference will take place on March 17 – 18, 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Harrisonburg, VA. More information on pricing and such will be available soon, but I wanted to make sure you all get it on your calendars J

This year’s Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education (VICE) Conference will be held April 13 – 15, 2018 at the beautiful Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, VA. Each spring the Virginia Cooperative Council sponsors a three-day, co=op education youth leadership conference for up to 64 Virginia high school students. The primary objective of this conference is to educate youth about the unique cooperative form of business. Through an interactive, educational, and entertaining conference, students will enhance their teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. There is an opportunity to receive $2,000, $1,500 or $1,000 college scholarship to be used at the college of the member’s choice. I have included a better description of what the members will be doing at this conference in this email.

We are looking for 18+ teen counselors for a new camp hosted at the NOVA 4-H Educational Center in Front Royal called SMILE. This camp is for Fauquier County 4th grade students to do an outdoor education and pre-learning to help jump-start their knowledge and life skills moving into the 5th Grade. NOVA is looking for 8 male counselors and 8 female counselors that are over the age of 18. If you are interested in helping with this camp, your responsibilities will be to assist five 8 – 10 year old students, you will be compensated and will not have to pay to attend this camp. The camp dates are July 29 – August 2, 2018. I know this is out of the range for the majority of our 4-H members, but some may have older siblings that would be interested J so please pass the word on!

For all my families that are interested in traveling during the summer or hosting foreign exchange student, I have attached the International Farm Youth Exchange newsletter. This newsletter includes information about the IFYE program as well as other 4-H international opportunities.

An update from Salamander Savers: the bill to nominate the Red Salamander for the state salamander of Virginia has passed the subcommittee 6-2, and is now going to the full committee. We still need all your support in helping pass this bill. If you would like to support the Salamander Savers, please visit their webpage at https://savethesalamanders.weebly.com/for more information.

I would now like to take a moment to talk about the January County Council meeting and some of the questions I have received since then. In case you were unable to attend our meeting, please check out the minutes attached in this email by our wonderful secretary Juliette Hainuat. I would also like to encourage everyone to try and start attending County Council as this is a great opportunity to share with the County what your 4-H Club has been doing and learn about the wonderful opportunities that are happening at the County level. This is also a great opportunity to receive some countywide leadership opportunities and vote on some of the changes that will impact all 4-H members. I have posted some of the questions I have received with the answers below:Question: Can we have some 4-H members enter a record book and get the higher premiums and some that do not enter a record book get no high premium than the $49.00?Answer: No, as a County we need to all do the same thingQuestion: Can the record book they enter be on any topic?Answer: The record book will have to be on the project they completed at the 4-H Fair in order to receive those premiums. However, the new record books make that simple and members will only have to complete section 2 for each project instead of completing a whole new record book per project. Question: Does the premiums and record books apply to livestock projects or just static exhibits?Answer: It applies to all projects, livestock and static projectsQuestion: How many members are needed for the JOANN’s Fundraiser?Answer: The store located at Fairfax Towne Center would like to have 10 members participate. I am still waiting on a response for the store located at Seven Corners Center as to how many members they would like to have participate. If your club is interested in this Community Service/Fundraiser, please let me know as soon as possible with the name of the members that will be participating and the organization that your club would like to donate the cards to. Finally, below is the schedule for the next three weeks. I realize that I usually do two weeks at a time, but as I am out of the office more frequently this spring, I want to ensure that you all have the schedule of events and can keep your calendars up to date as much as possible.

I’m sorry for the delayed weekly announcement. I have some very exciting news from one of our 4-H Clubs, Salamander Savers. Please see the below note from club manager, Anna Kim:Delegate Eileen Filler-corn has written HB 459 on behalf of the Salamander Savers 4-H Club to nominate the red salamander as the state salamander of Virginia. Over the last year, Salamander Savers 4-H Club has been asking local lawmakers to help them recognize a state salamander to raise awareness for salamander populations across the state. Virginia is home to 56 different species of salamanders, but Salamander Savers 4-H Club believes the red salamander, pseudotriton ruber, best represents the state of Virginia. The red salamander is widely spread throughout Virginia and inhabits a variety of woodland habitats. Virginia would be the first state to nominate the red salamander as its state salamander. Jonah Kim, the president of Salamander Savers 4-H Club, started the club with his brothers three years ago in response to the dredging of Woodglen Lake. Since then, Salamander Savers 4-H Club has grown in numbers and has taken part in numerous ecological activities, ranging from stream monitoring to salamander surveys. This year Salamander Savers hopes to see HB 459 pass, which would name the red salamander Virginia’s official state salamander. Salamander Savers has been working diligently to nominate the red salamander as the state salamander of Virginia; however, Salamander Savers still needs your help. Please call, write, or email your representatives in Richmond and ask them to support HB 459, which names the red salamander as Virginia’s official state salamander. There is a link to find your representatives on our website as well as a sample letter https://savethesalamanders.weebly.com/help-red-salamander.html.You can also check out a wonderful video they did here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQZ-nYA1Sn8&t=150s. Congratulations to all the members of Salamander Savers and how hard they have worked towards this!Below are some of the announcements I have of statewide opportunities that are coming up:

They are still taking applications for the 2018 Natural Resource Weekend. This weekend camp is open to youth ages 9 – 19 and adult chaperones. Workshop topics include: Wildlife ID & Tracks, Survival Skills, Edible Insects, Snakes, Intro to Shotgun, 3-D Archery, Knot Tying, Duck Decoy and more. This is also in conjunction with the Wildlife & Habitat Educational Program (WHEP) Contest. Please see the attached brochure for more information.

Don’t forget to send in your entries for the 2018 Virginia Tech Block and Bridle Contest. Entries are due postmarked by February 1, 2018 and no entries postmarked after this date will be accepted. I have attached the registration forms in this email (if they did not come through with the email, please email me directly for the attachments.)

There will be Northern District Horsemanship Skills Evaluation on May 5, 2018 at the Durbin Arena (4492 Catterton Rd., Free Union, VA 22940). This will be an opportunity for 4-H members to test Level One and Level Two Horsemanship Skills as part of the requirement of the Virginia State 4-H Horse Program. Successful completion of these two levels will be required of all horse/rider pairs who have not competed together at a previous State 4-H Horse Show. The number of participants will be limited to 24 horse/rider combinations. Please see the attached document for more information.

If there are any more opportunities that I missed, or you would like me to add something to next week’s weekly announcement, please send it to me! Below is the schedule for Fairfax County over the next two weeks!

Monday, January 15 ~ Extension Office will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day

Monday, January 22 ~ County Council Re-Scheduled Meeting ~ 7:00PM – 8:00PM in the Virginia Conference Room located on the 10th floor of the Pennino Building (12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035)

Good Afternoon 4-H Members, Families and Volunteers!First off, I would like to let everyone know that over the past several weeks, I have been experiencing great problems with email. If I have not responded to your email, or if you have asked me to do a favor, and I have not done it yet, please send me another email. I try my best to answer everyone’s emails in a timely manner and get everything done that you ask of me. However, with the problems I have experienced with the emails and a lot of emails getting deleted, I fear that I may have missed a few emails or tasks that I was supposed to do. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, please resend me an email with what I can do to help with all of your 4-H adventures or answer any questions you may have had, that I have not answered. Thank you!!!4-H Camp applications are now AVAILABLE!!For new 4-H members, or even older 4-H members who are unaware of what 4-H Camp is, 4-H Camp is a five-day, four-night camp for youth members ages 9 to 13 that is held at the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center in Front Royal, Virginia. Youth members will explore new interests, enjoy swimming and recreation and participate in evening activities and campfires. Camping with the 4-H Program provides a fun, exciting and educational experience in a safe setting as the NOVA Camp Center is an ACA (American Camp Association) accredited facility. This accreditation means the camp meets the highest standards for safety, food service and staffing, health care, and program quality. Campers are lodged in a room with campers of similar age, and have the opportunity to request their roommates. Each room is part of a Pack which will serve as the camper’s “family” during the week of camp. Packs are involved in different contests on various days and Bear Claws are awarded for spirit, participation, and demonstrations of good character! Each day, campers will attend three different classes that they sign up for prior to arriving at 4-H Camp. There is free swim and recreation time each day, as well as evening programs and a campfire. Past evening programs have included Water Olympics, Newspaper Fashion Show, Talent Shows, and Scavenger Hunts. Each year we recruit teen volunteers that are aged 14 and up to serve as Counselors for our camp. These teens, as well as all adult volunteers and 4-H Center Staff, complete a training series and are tested on core concepts before attending camp. This year, we are running an early bird special, and I am opening this early bird special to registered 4-H Members first. Early Bird Registration members will have preferential choices on classes and roommate selections. In order to qualify for the Early Bird Registration, youth must submit their registrations on or before Friday, January 19, 2018 along with a check for the full price of camp. Scholarships may not be applied to early bird registrants. In addition to the Early Bird Registration, we are now taking applications for Camp Counselors. Camp Counselors are the heart and soul of 4-H Camp as they guide campers throughout their camping experience. We are in search of responsible, organized, teens who are 14 or older as of January 1, 2018 and have completed the 8thgrade. For teens that are interested, please submit your application to be a camp counselor before 4:00PM on Friday, February 16th to experience our extremely low Camp Counselor fee of only $50. After 4:00PM on Friday, February 16th, camp counselor fee will be increased to $150.This year, Fairfax County can only take a grand total of 77 campers and 15 counselors, so please do not delay getting your application in to me or Ms. Lareka! For families who need scholarship assistance, please note that you are not left out! Scholarship families will be able to apply to 4-H Camp after February 16th. If you are in need of a scholarship to help send your family to 4-H Camp, please direct your attention to page 3 in the Camper Application. I look forward to attending camp yet again this year and can’t wait to work more with our phenomenal teens in a leadership position and all our 4-H Campers! Please let me know if you have any questions regarding 4-H Camp!I would also like to take a minute to recognize our new County Council Executive Board Members:President: Alina Ampeh, a member from Virginia Trotters 4-H Club1st Vice President: Kelly Salguero, a member from Fairfax City 4-H Club2nd Vice President: Becca Berglie, a member from Hoofers & Heifers 4-H ClubTreasurer: Karen Ampeh, an Adult Volunteer from Virginia Trotters 4-H ClubSecretary: Juliette Hainaut, a member of Virginia Trotters 4-H Club, Fairfax Rabbit & Cavy 4-H Club, and Krazy for K-9’s 4-H ClubAdult Advisor: Esther Wisdom, an adult volunteer from Falls Church 4-H ClubThe County Council will meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month, at 7:00PM in the Virginia Conference Room, unless otherwise noted.Below are some big dates that I want to make sure is on everyone’s calendar for the Spring and Summer. If you have any questions about the following, please feel free to send me an email or give me a call:January 1, 2018 ~ Deadline to be enrolled as a 4-H Member in order to be eligible to enter the State Fair or State 4-H Championship Shows.January 5-7, 2018 ~ Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Training/Winter Meeting of the Virginia 4-H Shooting Education CouncilJanuary 15, 2018 ~ Camp Corral applications open. Registration is first come, first serve and will fill up fast. Apply as soon as registration opens to ensure your families spot. ~ NOVA 4-H Educational Center. For more information, please visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/camp-corral.htmlJanuary 15, 2018 ~ Teen Weekend Registration DeadlineJanuary 19-21, 2018 ~ VA/NC Horse Leaders’ Conference ~ W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Center. For more information, visit: https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/horse/events/horse_conference.htmlJanuary 27-28, 2018 ~ VA State 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Contest/Natural Resources Educational Weekend ~ Holiday Lake 4-H Educational CenterJanuary 30, 2018 ~ 4-H Day at the Capitol

September 13-16, 2018 ~ State Championship Horse & Pony Show ~ Lexington, VASeptember 27-October 7, 2018 ~ State Fair of Virginia ~ Doswell, VAAs always, as new events and opportunities arise, I will let you know as soon as I know. Now for our two-week schedule with the changes that I am aware of. As the holiday’s draw near, I know some clubs have changed their schedules. I have listed only the clubs that I have not heard of club meeting changes from. If you think the following schedule is wrong, please inform me as soon as possible so I can make the appropriate changes. I don’t want to advertise a club meeting if they are not actually meeting and confuse current 4-H members or have new members show up looking for a meeting that is not happening.Wednesday, December 20 ~ Salamander Savers 4-H Club Meeting ~ 7:00PM – 8:00PM ~ Family Home (Please contact the Extension Office for exact location details)

I look forward to seeing most of you tonight in our usual meeting room, on the 10th floor of the Pennino Building for our first County Council Meeting. I have attached the Agenda in case you didn’t get it last week.

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe weekend and enjoyed the little bit of snow we received. Below are some of the wonderful opportunities that are available to our 4-H members. For more information on the following opportunities, please check out our website at: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/.

2018 Block and Bridle Hippology & Horse Judging Contest ~ The primary objective of the Hippology contest is to provide, in a friendly but competitive setting, an opportunity for youth enrolled in 4-H to demonstrate the breadth of their knowledge and understanding of equine science and management, and in particular, the practical application of this knowledge and skill. It is hoped that this contest will generate new friendships and be a rewarding experience for the contestants – February 9, 2018 at the Virginia Tech Alphin-Stuart Arena. For more information, visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/2018-block-and-bridle-hippology-and-horse-judging-contest.html

2018 Virginia 4-H Hokie Horse Camp ~ The Hokie Horse Camp is an opportunity to provide the 4-H Horse Project members an opportunity to learn new and better techniques of horsemanship and to enjoy the fellowship of other 4-H members and volunteers from different areas of the state. The camp is designed to increase the horse knowledge, horsemanship skills and showing techniques of the advanced rider as well as to introduce beginner riders to the basics of horsemanship. This camp will also serve as a qualifying clinic and horsemanship skills testing for those youth attending the 2018 Virginia State 4-H Horse Show. ~ Saturday, July 7 – Wednesday, July 11, 2018. For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/2018-virginia-4-h-hokie-horse-camp.html

4-H Day at the Capitol ~ 4-H Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity for youth to learn about governmental procedures and emphasizes the importance of citizen involvement in the governmental process. Participants visit with legislators sharing their 4-H experiences and learning about the role of legislators in government. They observe the legislative process in action, have opportunities to learn about the congressional aides and pages programs, and have an opportunity to tour the Capitol, museums, or other historical sites in the Richmond area. ~ January 30. For more information, visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/4-h-day-at-the-capitol.htmlif you are interested in this event, please contact Krystal as soon as possible so she can prepare for a County Event together!

Adopt A Soldier ~ 6th Annual Christmas Day "Giving Back"​​ ~ Join us in saying "​Thank You" to our Veterans and Deployed Service Members for their service and sacrifices on December 25, 2017​ from 1:00PM - 5:00PM at ​Kilroy's ​​located in Ravensworth Shopping Center (5236 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA)​. We will be packing Care Packages and Care Letters for our Deployed and Veterans. Bring an item for the care package or mail your tax deductible​donations to address below. For more information, please visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/adopt-a-soldier-event1.html

Banjo/Mandolin Building Workshop ~ This is a fantastic Banjo and Mandolin Building Workshop March 25-30, 2018 at the Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center where Master Craftsman, luthier, and teacher Don Kawalek will provide instruction, kits, and a special techniques workshop on inlaying and finishing. Don is a seasoned instrument maker and master builder with over 40 years of experience. His workshops provide a truly unique experience! For more information, please visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/banjo--mandolin-building-workshop.html

Camp Corral ~ Camp Corral is a free, one-of-a-kind summer camp for children of wounded, injured, ill or fallen military service members. Providing positive, recreational experiences in the outdoors helps foster resilience, and Camp Corral has proven to be a ‘week of a lifetime,’ providing kids non-stop fun with activities like canoeing, swimming, fishing, arts and crafts, ropes course challenge, archery, horseback riding, and other camp and outdoors activities. The week also encourages the campers to create friendships and bond with other kids who share similar family situations. Not only is Camp Corral important for military children, but it has also proven to be a gift for the camper parents, including veterans, active duty and reserve service members who have sacrificed so much to keep our nation safe and protect our personal freedoms that we hold so dear. For more information, please visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/camp-corral.html

EquiSmartz ~ An introductory program, 4-H members and interested youth from the Northern 4-H District are invited to come and experience components of the state educational contest known as EquiSmartz. This program includes sessions in Horse Bowl, Hippology, and Horse Judging. Youth will experience the basic format of the contests as well as types of questions presented in each contest. The format includes educational instruction and a mini-practice contest for each component (no awards). Club leaders & volunteers are invited to participate in a separate walk-about session receiving instruction on how to organize a team for EquiSmartz. More info at https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/horse.html. Contest will be held, Saturday, Decembers 16th

Family Camp ~ Family camp is an annual event at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center in Appomattox, Virginia. Family camp offers the chance for family members to bond with each other while at the same time experiencing their own level of independence in a safe environment. Participants (youth and adults) take three classes a day, one of which is specifically designated as a family activity. Classes offered include swimming, theatre arts, nature, canoeing, forestry, archery, and more. Afternoons and evenings are filled with special activities such as hikes, canoe trips, and campfires. ~ May 28 – June 1, 2018. For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/family-camp.html

Kids’ Tech University ~ Kids' Tech University is a semester-long educational research program developed by the Biocomplexity Institute and Virginia 4-H, that puts scientists and engineers in front of children to encourage the exploration of intriguing topics in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/kids-tech-university.html. We have one 4-H Family who has already registered for the event and is looking for another family from Fairfax that can carpool down to Blacksburg together. If you are interested, please contact Krystal for connection!

State Fair Competitor Scholarship and 2017 Livestock Exhibitor Scholarship ~ The State Fair of Virginia has announced a new $2,500 general scholarship for youth who took part in any 2017 State Fair competition. Applications also are being accepted for 12 scholarships for youth who exhibited beef cattle, sheep, meat goats or swine in the 2017 fair’s 4-H and FFA youth livestock programs. Details and applications are available in the “Education” section of the fair’s website at StateFairVa.org. Applications must be completed electronically and must be received by 5 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2018. The direct link to the State Fair is: https://www.statefairva.org/p.aspx?pID=getinvolved/competitions/301&

Teen Weekend ~ The Virginia State 4-H Cabinet presents the 12th Annual Statewide Teen Weekend! A new addition this year will allow teens to choose one of two tracks, either the traditional teen weekend track inclusive of workshop rotations or a leadership track working through and completing the National 4-H Step Up to Leadership Project Book. This event provides an opportunity for teens across the Commonwealth to come together for a weekend filled with educational workshops, leadership, and fun. Please note that the leadership track is limited to 16 teens. The State 4-H Cabinet has worked hard on planning this event and it promises to be the highlight of the season. You don’t want to miss this great experience to meet other teens from all across the Commonwealth! We hope that you will join us for the weekend. Registration deadline=January 15, 2018//Event=February 2 – 4, 2018. For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/teen-weekend.html

Virginia LifeSmarts Program ~ LifeSmarts, the ultimate consumer challenge, is an educational opportunity for students in 6th - 12th grade. This competition prepares students to enter the real world as smart adult consumers. Participants focus on five key topic areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, the environment, health and safety, personal finance, and technology. Youth can compete online in a monthly quiz called TeamSmarts. TeamSmarts is a great practice tool for a team of students to use together. Each month from September through January, teams are asked 100 multiple-choice questions focused on one LifeSmarts topic. Prizes are awarded each month. Registered 4-H teams can compete in TeamSmarts for the $100 monthly prize and an automatic bid to the 2018 National LifeSmarts Championship. The 2018 Virginia Competition will be held on Friday, February 16 in Glen Allen, VA. Please contact me if you are interested in starting a team. For more information, visit http://lifesmarts.org/

Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Training and Winter Meeting of the Virginia 4-H Shooting Education Council ~ January 5 – 7, 2018. For more information, please contact Robert Tillotson at ricochetrobert@jetbroadband.com

Northern District Horse Hippology Contest ~ Loudoun County is hosting the Northern District Horse Hippology Contest on February 3rd at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. The primary objective of the Hippology contest is to provide, in a friendly but competitive setting, an opportunity for youth enrolled in 4-H to demonstrate the breadth of their knowledge and understanding of equine science and management, and in particular, the practical application of this knowledge and skill.

VA/NC Horse Leaders Conference ~ we have an exciting line-up of sessions for all leaders, new and seasoned! Saturday sessions are packed full with in-depth information on finance and fundraising, leader preps and training for all of the educational contests, club structure and tips for teaching parliamentary procedure, a "make and take" hands-on lesson, risk management and insurance, teens in leadership, show management, and how to involve young club members. Saturday evening after dinner, there will be a very informative panel discussion on "Working with Extension: How to Get the Most out of Your Extension Office" – ask agents and specialists your questions! After each state's program updates first thing on Sunday morning, the sessions will involve live horses at the barn with horse judging, review the horse Body Condition Score and evaluate for a Cresty Neck Score and proper weight assessment. And at the conclusion the Measurement Clinic is available to those that would like to be certified ~ January 19 – 21, 2018. For more information, visit: https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/horse/events/horse_conference.html

I hope everyone take the opportunity to participate in one or several of these exceptional opportunities!

For more local information, here is the schedule happening in our County:

Saturday, December 16 ~ Intro to EquiSmartz ~ 9:30AM – 4:00PM ~ M.A.R.E. Center (5527 Sullivans Mill Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117) An introductory program, 4-H members and interested youth from the Northern 4-H District are invited to come and experience components of the state educational contest known as EquiSmartz. This program includes sessions in Horse Bowl, Hippology, and Horse Judging. Youth will experience the basic format of the contests as well as types of questions presented in each contest. The format includes educational instruction and a mini-practice contest for each component (no awards). Club leaders & volunteers are invited to participate in a separate walk-about session receiving instruction on how to organize a team for EquiSmartz. More info at https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/horse.html

If you have managed to make it thus far in the email, I have some exciting news for you!!! FAA Junior 4-H Camp Registration will be opening THIS WEEK!!! So keep your eyes peeled for an email from me with the Camp Packets. There is an early bird specials for registered 4-H Members ONLY! Early Bird will be open until February 16th, but space is limited, so don’t wait to get me your applications back!

Good Morning 4-H Members, Families and Volunteers!DON’T FORGET!!!Fairfax County 4-H Council/Fairboard Meeting isNext Monday, December 11th at 7:00PMAgenda is attached I look forward to seeing you all there!I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend last week and a good week thus far! Sorry to be getting our weekly announcements out Wednesday Night, but this has proven to be another hectic week in the office. I will keep this week’s email as brief as possible.First off, as noted above, we are having our first County Council/Fairboard meeting. Please encourage all your members to attend this meeting and run for a county council officer position! This is a great leadership opportunity for all 4-H members.Second off, the December Monthly Newsletter is attached. You can thank Heather Walton, our part-time Office Assistant, for creating these wonderful newsletters for us. I highly encourage all of our clubs to start utilizing the newsletter to congratulate members on achievements, or invite others to special events your club may be hosting. For more information on the opportunities listed in the Newsletter, please check out our website at: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/. It is updated weekly with lots of great information J and the calendar is always updated with the latest happenings, cancellations and opportunities. Next, please make sure I have all our club minutes and sign in sheets from November. This includes business meetings as well as project practices. If you will recall your club chartering packet, if I don’t receive these documents, your club could become at risk for violating your club charter which would result in disbandment of your 4-H Club L so let’s not have that happen!Below is the all the events we have happening over the next few weeks Thursday, December 7~ Sam Clemens Farm 4-H Club Meeting ~ 2:30PM – 4:40PM ~ Mark Twain Middle School (4700 Franconia Rd, Alexandria, VA 22310)Restricted to Sam Clemens students ONLYThursday, December 7 ~ Belvoir Bullets 4-H Club Practice ~ 6:30PM – 8:00PM ~ American Legion Post #176 (6520 Amherst Ave, Springfield, VA 22150)Members must be registered on 4-HOnline through Belvoir Bullets before ever participating in shooting practice. You may attend the practice for observation purposes only until you have successfully registered on 4-HOnline and been safety tested.Thursday, December 7 ~ Virginia Trotters 4-H Club Meeting ~ 6:30PM – 7:30PM ~ Frying Pan Farm Park (2709 West Ox Road, Herndon, VA)

Saturday, December 16 ~ Intro to EquiSmartz ~ 9:30AM – 4:00PM ~ M.A.R.E. Center (5527 Sullivans Mill Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117) An introductory program, 4-H members and interested youth from the Northern 4-H District are invited to come and experience components of the state educational contest known as EquiSmartz. This program includes sessions in Horse Bowl, Hippology, and Horse Judging. Youth will experience the basic format of the contests as well as types of questions presented in each contest. The format includes educational instruction and a mini-practice contest for each component (no awards). Club leaders & volunteers are invited to participate in a separate walk-about session receiving instruction on how to organize a team for EquiSmartz. More info at https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/horse.html

I know that some of our clubs may be moving meeting dates/times/locations around with the Holidays this month, so if that is the case with your club, please let me know as soon as possible!Thank you and have a wonderful rest of your week, and a fantastic weekend!

Krystal Williams

Good Afternoon Everyone!I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and safe travels J I am thankful to live back in Virginia where we are close to my husband’s family and were able to have Thanksgiving dinner with them for the first time!As always, there is a lot happening and coming up through the 4-H Program. I hope everyone finds a little something for them to participate in and has a wonderful week!

2018 Block and Bridle Hippology & Horse Judging Contest ~ The primary objective of the Hippology contest is to provide, in a friendly but competitive setting, an opportunity for youth enrolled in 4-H to demonstrate the breadth of their knowledge and understanding of equine science and management, and in particular, the practical application of this knowledge and skill. It is hoped that this contest will generate new friendships and be a rewarding experience for the contestants – February 9, 2018 at the Virginia Tech Alphin-Stuart Arena. For more information, visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/2018-block-and-bridle-hippology-and-horse-judging-contest.html

2018 Virginia 4-H Hokie Horse Camp ~ The Hokie Horse Camp is an opportunity to provide the 4-H Horse Project members an opportunity to learn new and better techniques of horsemanship and to enjoy the fellowship of other 4-H members and volunteers from different areas of the state. The camp is designed to increase the horse knowledge, horsemanship skills and showing techniques of the advanced rider as well as to introduce beginner riders to the basics of horsemanship. This camp will also serve as a qualifying clinic and horsemanship skills testing for those youth attending the 2018 Virginia State 4-H Horse Show. ~ Saturday, July 7 – Wednesday, July 11, 2018. For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/2018-virginia-4-h-hokie-horse-camp.html

4-H Day at the Capitol ~ 4-H Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity for youth to learn about governmental procedures and emphasizes the importance of citizen involvement in the governmental process. Participants visit with legislators sharing their 4-H experiences and learning about the role of legislators in government. They observe the legislative process in action, have opportunities to learn about the congressional aides and pages programs, and have an opportunity to tour the Capitol, museums, or other historical sites in the Richmond area. ~ January 30. For more information, visit: http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/4-h-day-at-the-capitol.htmlif you are interested in this event, please contact Krystal as soon as possible so she can prepare for a County Event together!

Banjo/Mandolin Building Workshop ~ This is a fantastic Banjo and Mandolin Building Workshop March 25-30, 2018 at the Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center where Master Craftsman, luthier, and teacher Don Kawalek will provide instruction, kits, and a special techniques workshop on inlaying and finishing. Don is a seasoned instrument maker and master builder with over 40 years of experience. His workshops provide a truly unique experience! For more information, please visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/banjo--mandolin-building-workshop.html

Family Camp ~ Family camp is an annual event at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center in Appomattox, Virginia. Family camp offers the chance for family members to bond with each other while at the same time experiencing their own level of independence in a safe environment. Participants (youth and adults) take three classes a day, one of which is specifically designated as a family activity. Classes offered include swimming, theatre arts, nature, canoeing, forestry, archery, and more. Afternoons and evenings are filled with special activities such as hikes, canoe trips, and campfires. ~ May 28 – June 1, 2018. For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/family-camp.html

Kids’ Tech University ~ Kids' Tech University is a semester-long educational research program developed by the Biocomplexity Institute and Virginia 4-H, that puts scientists and engineers in front of children to encourage the exploration of intriguing topics in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). For more information, visit http://fairfax4h.weebly.com/kids-tech-university.html. We have one 4-H Family who has already registered for the event and is looking for another family from Fairfax that can carpool down to Blacksburg together. If you are interested, please contact Krystal for connection!

Teen Weekend ~ The Virginia State 4-H Cabinet presents the 12th Annual Statewide Teen Weekend! A new addition this year will allow teens to choose one of two tracks, either the traditional teen weekend track inclusive of workshop rotations or a leadership track working through and completing the National 4-H Step Up to Leadership Project Book. This event provides an opportunity for teens across the Commonwealth to come together for a weekend filled with educational workshops, leadership, and fun. Please note that the leadership track is limited to 16 teens. The State 4-H Cabinet has worked hard on planning this event and it promises to be the highlight of the season. You don’t want to miss this great experience to meet other teens from all across the Commonwealth! We hope that you will join us for the weekend. Registration deadline=January 15, 2018//Event=February 2 – 4, 2018. For more information, visithttp://fairfax4h.weebly.com/teen-weekend.html

Virginia LifeSmarts Program ~ LifeSmarts, the ultimate consumer challenge, is an educational opportunity for students in 6th - 12th grade. This competition prepares students to enter the real world as smart adult consumers. Participants focus on five key topic areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, the environment, health and safety, personal finance, and technology. Youth can compete online in a monthly quiz called TeamSmarts. TeamSmarts is a great practice tool for a team of students to use together. Each month from September through January, teams are asked 100 multiple-choice questions focused on one LifeSmarts topic. Prizes are awarded each month. Registered 4-H teams can compete in TeamSmarts for the $100 monthly prize and an automatic bid to the 2018 National LifeSmarts Championship. The 2018 Virginia Competition will be held on Friday, February 16 in Glen Allen, VA. Please contact me if you are interested in starting a team. For more information, visit http://lifesmarts.org/

Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Training and Winter Meeting of the Virginia 4-H Shooting Education Council ~ January 5 – 7, 2018. For more information, please contact Robert Tillotson at ricochetrobert@jetbroadband.com

Northern District Horse Hippology Contest ~ Loudoun County is hosting the Northern District Horse Hippology Contest on February 3rd at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. The primary objective of the Hippology contest is to provide, in a friendly but competitive setting, an opportunity for youth enrolled in 4-H to demonstrate the breadth of their knowledge and understanding of equine science and management, and in particular, the practical application of this knowledge and skill.

VA/NC Horse Leaders Conference ~ we have an exciting line-up of sessions for all leaders, new and seasoned! Saturday sessions are packed full with in-depth information on finance and fundraising, leader preps and training for all of the educational contests, club structure and tips for teaching parliamentary procedure, a "make and take" hands-on lesson, risk management and insurance, teens in leadership, show management, and how to involve young club members. Saturday evening after dinner, there will be a very informative panel discussion on "Working with Extension: How to Get the Most out of Your Extension Office" – ask agents and specialists your questions! After each state's program updates first thing on Sunday morning, the sessions will involve live horses at the barn with horse judging, review the horse Body Condition Score and evaluate for a Cresty Neck Score and proper weight assessment. And at the conclusion the Measurement Clinic is available to those that would like to be certified ~ January 19 – 21, 2018. For more information, visit:https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/horse/events/horse_conference.html

National Computer Science Education Week ~ National 4-H Council has reached out with an opportunity for Virginia 4-H to participate in a National Computer Science Education program in partnership with Microsoft. This opportunity would engage your 4-H members in an “Hour of Code” with Microsoft volunteers. There is no prior experience necessary, in fact they would prefer the group not have formal coding experience. The only requirements are: (1) At least ten (10) 4-H members (can be an in-school program, SPIN club, or open to any 4-H member); (2) A computer for each member; (3) Internet access; (4) Available on Monday, December 4. For more information, contact Krystal

Whew! What a lot of wonderful opportunities we have available to us! If you plan on attending any of these events, please let me know as I would love to help and support in every way possible J Now that we are done with what’s happening in the District and State, below is the County schedule for the next two weeks:

Thursday, December 7 ~ Belvoir Bullets 4-H Club Practice ~ 6:30PM – 8:00PM, American Legion Post #177 (3939 Oak St., Fairfax, VA 22030)Members must be registered on 4-HOnline through Belvoir Bullets before ever participating in shooting practice. You may attend the practice for observation purposes only until you have successfully registered on 4-HOnline and been safety tested.

And that puts us in December! I can’t believe this year is almost over! Have a wonderful week and don’t hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do to help and support you through your 4-H adventures!

Krystal Williams

4-H Extension Agent.

I would like to take a minute and apologize for my email absence over the last two weeks. We now have 170 members registered in the Fairfax County 4-H Program with 82 new members!

I would like to remind everyone that this Saturday is Veteran’s Day. In Fairfax County we have currently have 37 4-H members that have family members serving in our militaries. 4-H partners with our Military Service and we are able to provide 4-H Programming on all bases across the nation. Virginia’s 4-H Program has collaborated with Americas Adopt a Solider this year, and are asking for 4-H members to thank our veterans who are in a Veterans Home or Hospital and our deployed service members for this service and sacrifices. Today we have over 75,000 Veterans in VA Homes and Hospitals. Please encourage 4-H members to write cards and letters thanking and encouraging all veterans. Letters can be mailed at: Americas Adopt A Solider, 5400 Shawnee Road, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22312.

As many of you know, one of our 4-H Clubs, Salamander Savers have been working extremely hard to get the Shenandoah Salamander recognized at the State amphibian, and recently Eileen Filler-Corn officially confirmed that she will be writing a bill to nominate the Shenandoah Salamander all thanks to the hard work and dedication of our very own Salamander Savers 4-H Club! If you are interested in showing your support, I have attached a template that the members of Salamander Savers 4-H Club came up with to show support of the bill to nominate the Shenandoah Salamander. Please hand write letter rather than email. Senator Chap Petersen told the club that they get so many emails that often they disregard them. More attention is given to handwritten letters or phone calls.

Another new and exciting opportunity for our 4-H Members to participate in is Kids’ Tech University. Kids’ Tech University (KTU) is a semester-long educational research program developed by the Biocomplexity Institute and Virginia 4-H, that puts scientists and engineers in front of the youth to encourage the exploration of intriguing topics in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. On January 27th, February 17th, March 17th, and April 7th, 2018, 450 youth members (ages 9 – 12) and their parents will come to Virginia Tech to watch Interactive Sessions by renowned scientists and participate in hands-on activities. Each day’s events will center on common themes related to everyday life. Registration is now open with a $100 registration fee. However, please note that there are scholarships available to help families cover the cost of attendance. Please visit http://kidstechuniversity.vbi.vt.edu for more information.

For those who have not heard yet, Team NOVA are hiring for their 2018 Summer Staff Positions. Applications will remain open until all positions are filled; however, they will begin scheduling interviews beginning of December, so I encourage all interested teens to have their applications and references completed by November 30th. Please click on the following link for the application form: https://form.jotform.us/72704664305152

The State 4-H Program is offering a Teen Weekend scheduled for February 2-4, 2018. This weekend will be held at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Center. New this year, a leadership track will be offered in conjunction with the weekend for those who wish to expand and practice their leadership skills. More details will come soon, but until then you can check out the attached flyer “Become A Boss”

The 1st Annual Youth Agricultural Leaders’ Summit will be held on December 1-3, 2017 at the SWVA 4-H Educational Center in Abingdon, VA. This event is for youth age 9-18 and are 4-H or FFA members. We will be combining workshops and tutorials on Friday and Saturday to end with a competition on Sunday. Our sessions will include: agricultural advocacy, exhibiting leadership and character through agriculture, livestock judging, meats evaluation & judging, hays evaluation & judging, understanding performance data, and animal health conditions. We will also be introducing the concept and launching a new competition possibility through Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers - Discussion Meet for youth! Will Bundy (American Idol Top 24 Finalist) will be performing a concert for our youth on Saturday and discussing the value of hard work and perseverance. For more information, please check out the attached flyers. Registration is due November 10th

Family camp, an annual event at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center in Appomattox, Virginia. Family camp offers the chance for family members to bond with each other while at the same time experiencing their own level of independence in a safe environment. Participants (youth and adults) take three classes a day, one of which is specifically designated as a family activity. Classes offered include swimming, theatre arts, nature, canoeing, forestry, archery, and more. Afternoons and evenings are filled with special activities such as hikes, canoe trips, and campfires. For more information visit their website at: https://holidaylake4h.com/familycamp.php and see the attached flyer and printable registration form.

For youth members interested in Natural Resources, there will be a Natural Resources Educational Weekend on January 27-28, 2018 at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center. Please save the date as registration information will be coming out at a later date. They are still in the process of planning the weekend, but want to get it on 4-H members’ calendars if they are interested.

Also, they are still advertising Summer 2018 International Trips for 4-H Members who are interested. Locations still available to travel include Norway, Costa Rica, and Korea. Japan has already filled.

Finally, I would like to announce that by vote, 4-H members registered in the Horse Project, voted on continuing with Demonstrations during the 2018 4-H Fair instead of hosting a Horse Show. I know many of us enjoyed the Demonstrations facilitated by the 4-H members last year, and I look forward to another year of fantastic demonstrations put on by our members! While on the topic of the 2018 4-H Fair, I would like to have a Fairboard/County Council meeting on December 11, 2017 at 7:00PM in the Virginia Conference Room of the Pennino Building. So please save the date! We will be electing new County Officers that night, so please be prepared to give a speech if you would like to run for an officer position.

That is all I have for now, thank you for reading thus far! Below is the schedule for the next two weeks:

Jeremy C. Johnson, M.Ed

The State 4-H faculty just returned from a two day retreat where we discussed the vision for Virginia 4-H, a framework that will guide our efforts, and priorities for short-term and long-term planning. I look forward to sharing more information about our discussion during 4-H Symposium in a couple of weeks. One of our short-term goals is to gather some information from the field that will help us to further prioritize goals and resources.

Below is a link to a four (4) question survey that will help us to identify opportunities and challenges for Virginia 4-H. I ask that you give careful consideration and candid constructive feedback to these survey questions. This is an anonymous survey and no contact information will be collected with your responses. As a follow-up to this survey, Dr. Barbara Board, retired Virginia Cooperative Extension District Director and Extension Specialist, will conduct two focus group interviews with up to 12 faculty/staff during the 4-H Symposium. After the completion of the survey, you will be automatically directed to a second survey that is not linked to your responses. In the second survey, you can indicate if you are interested in participating in the focus groups. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. It is very important that you provide your feedback no later than Monday, October 30, to be considered for a focus group.

Virginia 4-H Assessment At the survey link below, you will be asked to provide anonymous constructive feedback on the following four (4) questions.

What makes Virginia 4-H better positioned than other youth organizations to meet the needs of today’s youth?

What challenges (external) limit the ability of Virginia 4-H to deliver high quality positive youth development programs?

What opportunities are there to develop innovative programs that could strengthen Virginia 4-H?

What are the obstacles (internal) that prevent Virginia 4-H from being the leader in quality positive youth development programming?

4-H Symposium and VAA4-HVL Conference will be held at the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel and Conference Center. Registration for 4-H faculty/staff ends today at 5:00 pm. Volunteer registrations will be accepted through October 20 and the volunteer hotel block closes on October 13. https://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/volunteer-leaders.html - TODAY IS LAST DAY FOR VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION WITHOUT LATE FEE

VAA4-HVL Memorial - Each year during the VAA4-HVL Fall Conference, the historian recognizes volunteers that have passed away since the previous fall conference. Please forward the volunteer’s name, unit (city/county), date of passing, and a short bio to Elizabeth Dawson, VAA4-HVL Historian at dawson.d.elizabeth@gmail.com. Memorial service submissions must be received by October 27, 2017

The Virginia Tech Science Festival is Saturday, November 4 from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Moss Arts Center, Newman Library, Torgersen Hall, and outdoor spaces in between. All festival events are free. More than 20 exhibitors will be on site with demonstrations that include 3D printing, polymer science, electrical music instruments, reptiles, meteorology, water quality, robotics, and much more!

Grants

Virginia 4-H has been successful in securing several grants and I plan to highlight them over the next several weeks. If you have a grant you would like to be recognized, please send it my way. You can learn a little about the grant purpose and who the Principal Investigator (PI) is so you can contact them for additional information.

4-H Military Partnership Grant, PI – Dr. Tonya PriceThe 4-H Military Partnership Grant program is a partnership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture/4-H National Headquarters, Army Child and Youth Services, Air Force Child and Youth Programs, and Navy Child and Youth Programs. 4-H, Army, Navy, and Air Force made a commitment to establish 4-H clubs on installations worldwide and provide 4-H opportunities and experiences for military connected children and youth on installations and in communities. 4-H has received $50,500 to support our military 4-H programs at 11 installations (7- Navy, 3 – Army, and 1-Airforce) funding 14 sites during the October 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018 grant cycle.

Opportunities

Jump Campaign – Only 12 days left! As of Friday morning, the State 4-H Congress crowdfunding campaign has secured $2,729 and we have reached 27% of our funding goal! You can visit the page for more information and share the link below with others. Helping us to reach our goal will help you to have more scholarships available to your local program! https://crowdfund.vt.edu/project/7388

4-H Youth In Action Awards Due Monday, October 23 at 5:00 pm - The 4-H Youth in Action Awards Program is a premier opportunity for your students to share their stories of how 4-H has changed their lives and how they have, in turn, impacted others. Through this program, four confident leaders will each receive: a $5,000 scholarship for higher education; an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for National 4-H Council’s Legacy Awards on March 20, 2018 ; networking experiences with 4-H celebrity alumni and other influencers.

4-H and FFA Students Invited to American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, January 7 – 8, 2018 – 4-H and FFA students received free admission and one free chaperone and advisor/club leader per chapter/club. This is a great opportunity for students to connect with farmers, ranchers and careers in agriculture from across the nation!

Dr. Tonya Price, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, 4-H, attended the Virginia Cooperative Council Board Meeting, Virginia Foundation of Cooperation, Inc. meeting, and the 2017 Co-op Month Breakfast. She is excited to be a part of this group and now that Virginia 4-H has a seat at the table on this board, her goal is to increase awareness and participation at the VICE (Virginia Institute of Cooperative Education) and NICE (National Institute of Cooperative Education) conferences. These conferences are held annually and provide youth leaders an opportunity to learn how cooperatives work, practice team leadership skills, and compete for scholarships.

The theme of the breakfast was “Building a Cooperative Economy.” Keynote speaker, Rich Larochelle, discussed how cooperatives make a real and meaningful difference. His speech explored some of the ways we can build a broader base of co-ops in Virginia and across the region. Also during this meeting the Virginia Cooperative Council awarded three Distinguished Service Awards, Career Cooperative Leadership, Cooperative Member Leadership, and Young Cooperator Leadership. If you would like to learn more about the Virginia Cooperative Council or the annual youth conference, please contact Dr. Price.